Wire attaching device



Ap 6, 1943. o. F. TALLMAN WIRE ATTACHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27. 1942 M M L lm W m ATTOE/Yf Patented Apr. 6, 1943 WIRE ATTACHING DEVICE Oscar F. Tallman, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 27, 1942, Serial No. 432,542

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to wire attaching devices of the type employed to mechanically attach telephone and other wires to houses, buildings, and other structures, and more specifically to an attaching device for drop or service wires which is of the general type of the structure disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,110,407, issued on March 8, 1938, the predominant object of the invention being to provide an attaching device of the type mentioned above, which, because of its improved construction and arrangement, may be produced at a substantial saving of material and labor, and which in spite of its relatively inexpensive construction is capable of performing its intended function in a highly efficient manner.

As in the case of the device covered by the patent referred to above, the attaching device of the present invention employs the well-known snubbing principle in providing for secure engagement of a wire with the attaching device, and because of this fact the insulation of a wire engaged with the attaching device is not impaired by pressure applied thereto as was true in the case of the rigidly-positioned tie-in devices quite commonly used formerly. Also, the device of the patent referred to above and the device of the present invention are attached to buildings or other structures in a non-rigid manner so that the attaching devices may move with the whip and vibration of wires attached to such structures with the aid of the devices. The result of this arrangement is that there is no centering of vibration of the wires at fixed points thereof with a resultant impairment or destruction of the insulating coverings of the wires at such points of centered vibration, as was true of the rigidly-positioned tie-in devices mentioned above.

The device covered by the United States Letters Patent No. 2,110,407, referred to above, performs its intended function with the maximum efficiency and the main purpose of this invention is to provide an attaching device which will be equally efiicient in use, but which may be produced in a more economical manner. This is accomplished by forming the device of the present invention from a single length of material which is shaped and formed to produce the complete device, and in this way eliminate the need for the hail of the patented structure and the necessity for securing such bail in place by soldering, welding, or otherwise.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the improved attaching device showing same as it appears in use.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attaching device illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the attaching device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the attaching device shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A. designates the improved attaching device generally, said device being formed from a single length of strip material. The attaching device A comprises an elongated portion I which is so formed as to provide a continuous channelway 2 which extends spirally thereof in the longitudinal direction of said elongated portion l. At one end of the attaching device A the length of material of which said attaching device is formed is shaped to provide an eye 3, and the portion of the material of the attaching device which provides this eye is channel-shaped in cross section with the concave face of the channel 4 thereof facing outwardly. One side 3a of the eye 3 is an immediate continuation of the elongated portion 1 of the device A, while the opposite side 3b of said eye is bent so that its outer end is in close proximity to the point of junction between the elongated portion l' and the eye portion 3a so as to substantially close the eye 3. The eye 3 is completed by an arcuate portion 30 which joins the eye portions 30!. and 3b, and as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 3, the channel 4 of the eye 3 is a continuation of the channel 2 of the elongated portion I.

At the end of the attaching device A opposite to the end thereof at which the eye 3 is located a pair of curved portions 5 and 6 are provided which are integral parts of the length of material of which the attaching device is formed. These portions 5 and 6 extend outwardly and laterally in opposite directions from the end portion of the elongated portion l of the attaching device and are shaped as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 4. The portions 5 and 6 serve the purpose of engaging portions of a wire attached to the attaching device in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, said portions having hook-shaped outer end portionsand preferably being of such length that they extend outwardly beyond opposite sides of the elongated portion I of the attaching device.

In producing the improved attaching device A, a flat strip of material of the proper length is channeled from one of its ends to a point inwardly of said end of the strip of material and this channeled portion of the strip of material is shaped to provide the eye 3. With the aid of suitable apparatus the portion of the strip of material which extends from the eye is twisted to produce the elongated portion I and provide said elongated portion with the spirally extended groove 2. Previous to the operation of twisting the strip of material of which the attaching element is formed to produce the spirally grooved portion I, said strip of material is slitted at the end thereof opposite to the end at which the eye 3 is located. The slit is located at the approximate transverse center of the strip of material and it extends from the end of said strip of material inwardly a short distance, the portions at opposite sides of said slit being shaped to provide the portions and 6.

In the use of the improved attaching device A a suitable hook element H is applied to the house, building, or other structure to which the attaching device is to be attached. A wire W to be attached to said house, building, or other structure is applied to the attaching device, said wire being extended through the spiral groove 2 of the elongated portion I of the attaching device from the end of said portion I at which the portions 5 and 6 are located toward the eye 3, and said wire being engaged by the portion 6. Passing from the groove 2 of the portion I, the Wire W is passed about the eye 3 in the groove 4 thereof and said wire passes from the groove 4 of said eye through the spiral groove 2 of the elongated portion I of the attaching device to the outer end thereof where said wire is engaged by the outer, hook-shaped portion of the portion 5, as shown in Fig. l. The eye 3 of the attaching device is then engaged with the hook element I-land the wire W is extended longitudinally of the attaching device from the wire-engaging portion 5 to the hook element H where it passes behind the upstanding portion of said element H and then extends downwardly to the point where it enters the house or building.

A drop wire W engaged by the improved attaching device is held immovable with respect to the attaching device in accordance with the snubbing principle and this holding action is obtained entirely without application of clamping pressure which, as has already been pointed out herein, tends to shorten the life of a wire by destroying the insulation thereof. Also, because the attaching device is engaged by hook element H for movement with respect thereto, there is no centering of wear at the tie-in point of the wire due to whip and vibration of the wire, as is true in the use of rigid tie-in devices, and therefore the life of the wire is greatly prolonged as the Wire is not held by the attaching device to the tensile strength of the insulation, but to the breaking strength of the wire. Additionally, because of the presence of the portions 5 and 6 at the outer end of the attaching device, the hook-shaped ends of which engage portions of the wire, the wire is prevented from becoming accidentally disengaged from the elongated, spirally grooved portion I of the attaching device.

I claim:

1. A wire attaching device formed from a single length of strip material and comprising an elongated portion twisted about its longitudinal axis to provide said elongated portion with a groove which extends spirally of said elongated portion in the direction of the length thereof, an eye at an end of the device which is an integral continuation of said elongated portion, the portion of the strip of material which produces said. eye being channel-shaped in cross-section, and the channel of said eye being a continuation of the spiral groove of said elongated portion,

said length of material from which the device is formed being provided with a slit at the end of the device opposite to the eye thereof, and portions of said length of material at opposite sides of said slit which are shaped to provide the device with wire-engaging elements.

2. A wire attaching device formed from a single length of strip material and comprising an elongated portion twisted about its longitudinal axis to provide said elongated portion with a groove which extends spirally of said elongated portion in the direction of the length thereof, an eye at an end of the device which is an integral continuation of said elongated portion, the portion of the strip of material which produces said eye being channel-shaped in cross-section and the channel of said eye being a continuation of the spiral groove of said elongated portion, and integral portions formed on the attaching device at the end opposite to the end thereof at which the eye is located and extended in opposite directions for engaging portions of a Wire engaged by the device.

3. A wire attaching device formed from a single length of strip material and comprising an elongated portion twisted about its longitudinal axis to provide said elongated portion with a groove which extends spirally of said elongated portion in the direction of the length thereof, an eye at an end of the device which is an integral continuation of said elongated portion, the portion of the strip of material which produces said eye being channel-shaped in cross-section and the channel of said eye being a continuation of the spiral groove of said elongated portion, and integral hook-shaped portions formed on the attaching device at the end opposite to the end thereof at which the eye is located for engaging portions of a wire engaged by the device.

OSCAR F. TALLMAN. 

